March 6, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) reacts after scoring a goal in Game 1 against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Image Chris Kreider scored the tying goal in the final minute of regulation and had three assists for the Anaheim Ducks. The Anaheim Ducks bounced back with a 6-5 win over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Friday.
Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlson and Jackson Lacombe each had a goal and an assist, while Alex Killorn scored the decisive goal in the sixth round of the shootout for the Ducks, who are 7-1-0 in their last eight games.
Anaheim’s Radko Gudas also scored, and Lukas Dostal made 23 saves.
Cole Caufield had two goals and an assist and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens, who have lost three of four goals (1-1-2). Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, Alexandre Carrier added a goal and Samuel Montembo stopped 28 shots.
Carlsson scored 35 seconds into the third period to give Anaheim a 4-2 lead. Kreider stripped the puck from Hutson in the neutral zone, brought it to the right circle and fed Carlsson at the left hashmark for a wrist shot that went over Montembeault’s blocker.
Caufield pulled the Canadiens within one at 8:41 when he attempted a pass from Dobson from the left circle.
Carrier tied the score 4-4 with 11:47 to play. He caught the puck in the air above the slot and blasted it past Dostal’s glove and through traffic.
Less than a minute and a half later, Caufield scored off Dobson’s shot from the left circle to put the Canadiens up 5-4.
After Dostal drew an extra attacker, Kreider tied it 5-5 on Jacob Trouba’s point shot at 19:18.
Gauthier gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead 39 seconds into the first period, hitting a one-timer from the low side of the right circle off a feed from Carlsson.
Suzuki tied the score 22 seconds later. Caufield followed the goal line to feed Suzuki in the slot for a quick wrist shot that beat Dostal on the glove side.
Hutson scored off a snap blocker on the power play to put the visitors ahead 2-1 with 3:33 left in the opening period.
Gudas’ one-timer from the right point beat Montembeault in the top right corner at 11:56 of the first to even the Ducks.
Lacombe’s power shot from the right point gave Anaheim a 3-2 lead at 12:15 of the second period.
–Field level media
